Luckily there is a solution you probably haven’t tried: collagen supplements. Thanks to scientific research into collagen’s ability to help heal wounds, collagen supplements may also be able to help repair acne scars too. Here’s how.
Acne scars occur when breakouts penetrate the skin deeply, damaging the skin and tissue beneath.
But when the dermis (the layer beneath the epidermis)
Skin scarring refers to a fibrous process involving the laying down of collagen after an injury to the skin’s layers. This can occur after a cut, scrape or after bouts of severe acne.
Not all acne scars are the same though, there are five different types of acne scarring:
+ Ice Pick acne scars are deep yet narrow pitted scars
+ Rolling acne scars are wide, broad depressions with a sloping edge
+ Boxcar acne scars are wide, broad depressions with very defined edges
+ Atrophic acne scars are flat, thin or depressed scars also known as anetoderma
+ Hypertrophic or keloid acne scars are thick, lumpy scars
Collagen protein is the building block of your skin and connective tissue. After an insult to your tissue such as acne and scarring, you need those building blocks more than ever. By increasing your body’s collagen stores through supplementation, you’re able to boost your available collagen to create strong, supportive building blocks where that scar was laid down.
Science agrees. A recent review of scientific studies found: that “oral administration of intact or hydrolyzed collagen improves clinical manifestation of skin health.” Sounds great right? But let’s get more specific.
From topical collagen to ingestible collagen, collagen has long been used to boost wound healing. In fact, one study looked at skin healing in burns patients. One group was given collagen supplements, and the other group were given a placebo. The results were amazing:
The Hazard ratio of wound healing was 3.7 times in the collagen group compared to the control group.
Serum pre-albumin (a measure of wound healing) was significantly higher at weeks 2 and 4 in the collagen group.
These impressive results reflect collagen supplementation’s fantastic ability to boost wound healing, which seamlessly translates to scar healing too.
We know collagen is amazing at wound healing, and it’s been linked to improving skin health, making it an obvious choice to help repair acne scars. If the science sounds a bit too involved, here’s a summary of why collagen is so great for acne scar treatment:
Within the body, collagen has high tensile strength so it’s able to withstand a lot of force; a very useful property when helping an area to heal and repair.
Scarring is a process that’s all about collagen and it can go on for a long time. If you have depressed acne scars, collagen supplementation can help smooth out the irregular skin tone and texture that comes with acne.
You’ve read the results of the burns study above, so you know collagen is absolutely amazing at wound healing. Your acne scars need help so they heal in the most subtle, calm way, and that’s where collagen comes in to encourage your skin to heal quicker.
That’s right! After 25 years old, your skin’s collagen stores begin to deplete. This means your acne scars receive less help to remodel and heal. By adding collagen to your diet you can boost your collagen stores back up so your skin can harness that all-important collagen.
Don’t forget the basics. Collagen is a protein that forms the building blocks of your skin. When your skin is damaged, like with acne scars, you need to rebuild and remodel those damaged areas. Think of it this way: Imagine you’re building a house, and you only have 100 bricks. Add 50 more bricks, and you can have a bigger, stronger house! Collagen supplementation means you’ve got more of these building blocks to help.
To be more scientific, a recent systematic review found collagen peptide supplements boost fibroblasts which are the cells that generate connective tissue. By ingesting collagen, you’re able to have more collagen for your skin to help heal your acne scars. Simple as that!
Acne scars can make anyone feel self-conscious, so try adding ProPlenish Marine Collagen to your regime to help improve the look of your acne scars. Look for high-quality supplements for the best, visible results.
Microneedle Derma Roller
Pair your acne scar regime with a Microneedle Derma Roller to activate the skin’s natural wound healing process. A study showed the treatment can produce up to a 400% increase in collagen and elastin.
Medical grade titanium microneedles create painless microabrasions in the skin’s outer layer, breaking down collagen bundles responsible for uneven scars.
A study conducted in 2015 on the effects of microneedling on acne scars (atrophic) concluded that, patients saw a noticeable clinical improvement in scars appearance and skin texture after just three months of microneedling treatments.
Facial Mask
Drenched in proven skin nourishing ingredients a deeply nourishing facial mask helps boost collagen and elastin production, hydrate and soothe skin.
Glass Drink Bottle
Stay hydrated to flush toxins and bacteria on the skin, helping reduce the potential for pore-clogging acne breakouts. Daily water intake is key to maintaining healthy skin cell rejuvenation and collagen production.
Invest in a reusable glass drink bottle. Glass ensures that your drinks taste pure with no fear of contamination from chemicals leaching into the products it holds. Reusing a quality glass drink bottle is more environmentally sound, saving unnecessary plastic waste from entering landfill and our precious oceans.
